In one of his first major moves, former President Donald Trump announced sweeping pardons for nearly all 1,600 individuals charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The decision also included commuting the sentences of six others, marking a dramatic shift in the legal outcomes for those involved in the 2021 attack. The move covers a wide range of offenses, from minor misdemeanors like trespassing to more serious charges such as assaulting police officers and seditious conspiracy. This effectively overturns years of efforts by federal investigators to hold participants accountable for the violent disruption of the peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 election. While Trump didn’t specify which cases were included, about 1,000 defendants faced only low-level charges, while over 600 were accused of violent acts against law enforcement. Speaking from the Resolute Desk, Trump argued that many of these individuals had already served significant time and faced harsh consequences. “These people have been destroyed,” he said. The decision has sparked debate, as it appears to undo the legal repercussions for both nonviolent and violent participants in the Capitol attack. Critics argue it undermines accountability, while supporters see it as a step toward addressing what they view as excessive punishment. The identities of the six individuals whose sentences were commuted remain undisclosed. The move is one of the most significant acts of clemency in recent history, reshaping the narrative around one of the most contentious events in U.S. politics.